Woman's Body Found At House Fire Scene May Have Died Months Ago
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A fire on the city's northeast side ended with rescuers finding a woman's body inside. But as Mike Schuh reports, they're not so sure she died from the flames.
The reason firefighters knock down a blaze is not only to save a home but to search for people who may be inside. Before dawn they found someone, but it will be up to the coroner to determine if she was already dead.
The fire broke out in the 4900 block of Furley Ave. just before 5 a.m. and was called in by a neighbor.
Some neighbors thought the house was vacant. They say the owner died of a heart attack two months ago.
"I thought nobody was in there," said Cynthia Hughes, neighbor.
Hughes was awakened by the commotion.
"I seen the house in back just lit up with fire," she said.
Arriving firefighters ran to the back while trying to get in the front.
"Yeah, you could see it from the back. You could see it. Couldn't see the front lit up. You could see it from the back. There was fire everywhere," Hughes said.
But once firemen got inside, they quickly found a body.
"And during the primary search of the building firefighters did find a female body, which was taken out of the building at this time," said Roman Clark, fire department spokesman.
Firefighters say the victim was dead when they found her.
"We cannot say whether this fatality is a result of the fire , that is something that will have to be determined by the coroner's office," Clark said.
Meantime, as with all fires involving a fatality, special investigators are looking at what might be the cause.
An investigation is underway to determine a cause.
The fire department hasn't released the name or age of the victim.
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